The underground tunnels of Marinburg can generally be divided into two areas: the Shallow City District and the Deep Mine District.
As previously mentioned, Marinburg's underground is composed of countless tunnel mines. Due to large-scale illegal excavation and construction, every house in the canal district and civilian district has a basement linking to the underground tunnels. Many smugglers use these tunnels to enter Marinburg, merchants establish warehouses and secret storage points underground, and even civilians unscrupulously build living areas in the tunnels.
But even so, humans have only utilized part of the underground tunnels. This part that humans utilize is the Shallow City District.
Marinburg's rulers have spent vast sums of money blocking and destroying parts of the tunnels and increasing personnel to guard some main tunnels, making the Shallow City District relatively safe.
The Deep Mine District is truly terrifying.
Countless complex and winding tunnels lead who knows where. In the Deep Mine District, the deepest passages are said to lead to Molten Fire Underground or even the dwellings of demons. Many humans living in the Deep Mine District face the threat of corruption and decay. Many Chaos Sects operate in the dark, and various fierce beasts and demons are active. Witnesses claim to have seen rats as big as people deep in the mines.
Those are the notorious Skaven Ratmen. The Human Empire and Skaven Ratmen fought several wars centuries ago. The Empire achieved ultimate victory, but as revenge, the emperor at that time was assassinated by Ratman assassins at any cost.
Marinburg, of course, wouldn't sit idly by. Schultz adopted the strategy of hiring mercenaries to regularly patrol and clear out demons. The nobles always offer high prices and deceive mercenaries by saying the Deep Mine District holds astonishing treasures, constantly luring them to accept commissions. In fact, some mercenaries have found buried treasure in the Deep Mine District and made a fortune. Whenever this occurs, Duke Schultz generously announces that mercenaries need not pay taxes on this money and encourages more mercenaries to venture into the Deep Mine District, sparking adventurous fever time and again.
Few notice that more mercenaries are always forgotten in their no-return journeys.
The gateway from the Shallow City District to the Deep Mine District is heavily guarded. Jacob didn't say much, leading three apprentices deeper into the dark and deep mine: "Damn it, damp, dark, damned Fallen, my three least favorite things are all here."
"Vice President, be careful. According to the guards, a new sect seems to have appeared recently in the Deep Mine District," a young Demon Hunter tugged at his hat brim with cautious tone: "It's said that the sect's object of worship is a gray dog."
"Then we're in luck because we'd have delicious dog meat to eat." Jacob grinned, showcasing his smoke-stained yellow teeth.
"Haha~" Several Demon Hunters laughed together.
Indeed, for Demon Hunters who live a life licking blood off long knives, always in battle, they don't have much enjoyment. The only pleasures they have are the food, the warm fire, and women between battles.
Due to constant contact with chaotic creations, Demon Hunters are often deeply affected physiologically, forming antibodies against Chaos on one hand, while long-term exposure also makes them bloodthirsty, physically mutative, and particularly strong in certain desires.
Holding torches, they walked in the dark tunnels. The increasingly narrow tunnels and oppressive environment made the Demon Hunters uncomfortable, so they started finding topics to discuss: "Where did Belte appear? Jock?"
The young Demon Hunter named Jock took out a fragment: "I found this about thirty minutes away in a giant warehouse. There's no doubt it's part of the fire cannon Belte wore. He must have encountered a fight there."
"Giant warehouse?" Jacob associated something: "A giant warehouse storing what exactly?"
"It's a warehouse storing some candles and clothes," Jock replied. The young Demon Hunters were all dressed similarly, wrapped in thick clothing.
"Why would candles and clothes be stored together?" Jacob immediately sensed something was wrong, but the Demon Hunting Master strangely smiled: "However, we have no choice even if we know there's something wrong here; we must explore because time doesn't wait, and Belte could disappear again at any moment."
That's the way Demon Hunters operate. Sometimes even when they know something might be off, they'll still investigate because they need money and need to complete their missions.
The deeper they went, the more damp and strange the tunnels became. Water droplets stained the thick boots of the Demon Hunters. Marinburg's deep underground water seeped everywhere here, and nobody knew where the many long-neglected tunnels led. The only thing the Demon Hunters could rely on was the torches in their hands, though their torches were indeed somewhat peculiar.
The torches in the hands of several Demon Hunters burned very vigorously, the large flames continually emerging, lighting the surrounding dark environment. After burning for over twenty minutes, there were no signs of extinguishing.
Under normal circumstances, regardless of the workmanship, such vigorous torches wouldn't burn for more than a quarter of an hour. Seeing the tense atmosphere among the group, one Demon Hunter spoke: "Jacob Master, this torch is also something you got from Member of Parliament Sofia?"